Post by dalejrfan on Sept 11, 2005 3:31:32 GMT -5
RICHMOND, Va. -- Just once since Jeff Gordon's storied career began has NASCAR's Cup Series ventured to New York City for its yearend banquet without him.
It will happen again in 2005.
Gordon failed to qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway following an abysmal evening in the Chevy Rock 'n Roll 400.
Gordon started the 400-lap event sixth, but following a laundry list of setbacks finished 30th
All said, he finished 83 points short of 10th-place Ryan Newman in the Race for the Chase.
"It's disappointing but it's been a disappointing year," Gordon said. "There are so many moments throughout the year where you can look back and say 'Boy if this could of happened, we could have been in the Chase,' but lately, things have not gone our way and we haven't performed.
"It's disappointing, but I'm looking forward to the challenge of getting ourselves turned around and getting some excitement back in this game so we can go challenge for wins again and go out there next year."
The bad luck began for Gordon on Lap 114. After Elliott Sadler's spin brought out the caution, the leaders pitted for tires and fuel. But during the stop, Gordon's crew failed to get the lug nut tight on the left rear wheel.
Forced to pit twice, Gordon restarted deep in the field in 27th position.
From there, the handling on the No. 24 Chevrolet only worsened. Then, on lap-213, he slammed the outside wall exiting Turn 2, damaging the right side of his car. Immediately, he came over the radio and said, "I'm done now."
It was a microcosm of the latter half of the season, he said.
"It didn't help that we got stuck in the wall," Gordon said. "It was definitely a handful. We started off the race and it seemed like we were going to be in pretty good shape. It was the typical way things had gone for us.
"We make one adjustment and all the sudden the car has gone in the complete opposite direction and you can never get it back. I don't know why that's been the case this year but it's been frustrating. That part has been disappointing."
Since that 14th place effort as a rookie in 1993, Gordon's worst points finish was ninth in 2000. Few saw this season's downfall coming after Gordon opened the season with a victory in the Daytona 500, then followed it up two more wins in the first nine events.
"I think it was a combination of some bad luck that turned into some bad runs that broke the confidence of all of us as well as the momentum," Gordon said. "I think we're trying to find something and experiment with things and we're not finding them.
"We're just not finding the ingredient that it takes to be fast and compete for wins and top-fives and go out there and be consistent."
Crew chief Robbie Loomis voiced Friday that his priorities have changed, that he might be on his way out as crew chief after the season. But for now, Gordon said it's time to focus on preparing for 2006.
"The challenge is getting ourselves ready for next season," Gordon said. "I don't really care where we end up in points now. It's all about getting ourselves in position to get things turned around so we can go into next season and we want to challenge for the championship.
"We certainly don't want to be in the position we're in right now."
That said, he scoffed at the notion that this is a defining moment in his career.
"I've had a lot of disappointing moments - that's what makes you a stronger and better team and driver," Gordon said. "People only look at me as racing in the NASCAR series.
"I've had some far more disappointing seasons than this one. Life is still pretty darn good for me right now. Racing is not everything. I've put my heart and soul into it like this team does and we want to win.
"But we also know at the end of the day, that it's not the number one thing in our lives and you got to take the good seasons with the bad seasons, and we've had a lot of good ones."
It will happen again in 2005.
Gordon failed to qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway following an abysmal evening in the Chevy Rock 'n Roll 400.
Gordon started the 400-lap event sixth, but following a laundry list of setbacks finished 30th
All said, he finished 83 points short of 10th-place Ryan Newman in the Race for the Chase.
"It's disappointing but it's been a disappointing year," Gordon said. "There are so many moments throughout the year where you can look back and say 'Boy if this could of happened, we could have been in the Chase,' but lately, things have not gone our way and we haven't performed.
"It's disappointing, but I'm looking forward to the challenge of getting ourselves turned around and getting some excitement back in this game so we can go challenge for wins again and go out there next year."
The bad luck began for Gordon on Lap 114. After Elliott Sadler's spin brought out the caution, the leaders pitted for tires and fuel. But during the stop, Gordon's crew failed to get the lug nut tight on the left rear wheel.
Forced to pit twice, Gordon restarted deep in the field in 27th position.
From there, the handling on the No. 24 Chevrolet only worsened. Then, on lap-213, he slammed the outside wall exiting Turn 2, damaging the right side of his car. Immediately, he came over the radio and said, "I'm done now."
It was a microcosm of the latter half of the season, he said.
"It didn't help that we got stuck in the wall," Gordon said. "It was definitely a handful. We started off the race and it seemed like we were going to be in pretty good shape. It was the typical way things had gone for us.
"We make one adjustment and all the sudden the car has gone in the complete opposite direction and you can never get it back. I don't know why that's been the case this year but it's been frustrating. That part has been disappointing."
Since that 14th place effort as a rookie in 1993, Gordon's worst points finish was ninth in 2000. Few saw this season's downfall coming after Gordon opened the season with a victory in the Daytona 500, then followed it up two more wins in the first nine events.
"I think it was a combination of some bad luck that turned into some bad runs that broke the confidence of all of us as well as the momentum," Gordon said. "I think we're trying to find something and experiment with things and we're not finding them.
"We're just not finding the ingredient that it takes to be fast and compete for wins and top-fives and go out there and be consistent."
Crew chief Robbie Loomis voiced Friday that his priorities have changed, that he might be on his way out as crew chief after the season. But for now, Gordon said it's time to focus on preparing for 2006.
"The challenge is getting ourselves ready for next season," Gordon said. "I don't really care where we end up in points now. It's all about getting ourselves in position to get things turned around so we can go into next season and we want to challenge for the championship.
"We certainly don't want to be in the position we're in right now."
That said, he scoffed at the notion that this is a defining moment in his career.
"I've had a lot of disappointing moments - that's what makes you a stronger and better team and driver," Gordon said. "People only look at me as racing in the NASCAR series.
"I've had some far more disappointing seasons than this one. Life is still pretty darn good for me right now. Racing is not everything. I've put my heart and soul into it like this team does and we want to win.
"But we also know at the end of the day, that it's not the number one thing in our lives and you got to take the good seasons with the bad seasons, and we've had a lot of good ones."